The Hot Mommas~Fit and Fabulous SLACKER FREE SNACKING

Everyone is off to a great start! I am so proud of you all for jumping in to your mission and hitting the trail to healthy living with fit and fabulous energy!  Keep those comments coming, they help you and others to stay on course.  Today’s topic is not an official mission – just an extra incentive to sticking to your plan…

Snacking happens for a variety of reasons: the need for an energy boost between meals, cravings, boredom, stress, socializing, etc…  Make a conscience effort to make our snacks purposeful.   Becoming aware of what we consume and its effect on our body and goals, really helps to ensure we make good choices.

In order to keep our metabolism pumping evenly throughout the day, a couple healthy snacks are essential.  It is much better to keep an even energy flow between meals, than to allow yourself to get hungry and overeat at meal times.  Good snack ideas include foods that are high in fiber, and include protein and low sugar and sodium.  Choose snacks that will give you sustainable energy instead of ones that fulfill a craving for the moment.  Don’t get me wrong – it is okay to splurge every now and then to enjoy life and something delightful.  After all, why are we doing this anyway? To suffer our way through another quick, failed diet – NO… we are changing our habits to make them life-long, healthy lifestyle adjustments.

How are we going to help ourselves with this idea of purposeful snacking??? SLACKER FREE SNACKING! This method is a Hot Momma trick that will keep us all on track.  Each time you pick up a snack, stop and think about why you are consuming it… is it because you are truly hungry and in need of an energy boost from a healthy option between meals?? If so, proceed. ……If not, and you decide to indulge anyway … THEN you owe yourself some cardio (ideally right then and there) the amount of seconds matches the amount of calories consumed (or about to be consumed).  For example, a Magnum Ice Cream bar = 270 calories, so that equals  4 minutes & 30 seconds of cardio (just a random example – I surely don’t know this right off the top of my head J).  This cardio can be jumping jacks, jogging or marching in place, walking the stairs, hops, walking swiftly along the hallway… whatever you choose.   It is best to do it right then – yes, right then.  Even if your indulgence is a Venti Frappaccino at Starbucks… quietly excuse yourself to the parking lot to get it done… hmmmm… makes you think – right?  

Try this a few times, and then start to realize just how expensive snacking can be…  Don’t be fooled, this “second matching cardio” does not actually burn off all of those calories – it just causes us to get some extra good out of our indulgence.  In order to burn off those 270 extra Magnum Ice Cream Bar calories, you would actually have to do about 30 EXTRA minutes of moderate exercise (for the average woman).  Interesting…

If you don’t know how many seconds you owe yourself, use this link (save it to your favorites):

http://www.thecaloriecounter.com/Foods/2500/Food.aspx

Now, in order to help yourself remember to do this – print out the Slacker Free Snacking PDF (sent via email), cut it out, stick it to your fridge, cupboard, wallet, desk, etc…  make multiple copies if needed.

Have a Fabulous Weekend!